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Tests have proved that both had the H1N1 virus and post mortem examinations are now being carried out to determine the exact causes of death. If they are found to have died directly from swine flu, rather than other underlying causes, it will take the number of deaths in healthy patients to three, after another person died on Friday.

Speaking after news of Chloe’s death, Simon Tanner, regional director of public health for London, said: “The Health Protection Agency is now seeing large numbers of people with the virus. This will probably not be the last death.”

Nearly 10,000 Britons have been confirmed as suffering swine flu but hundreds of thousands more are feared to have the virus.

It has been linked to 17 fatalities.

The Government has given warning that the number of cases could rise to 100,000 a day by the end of next month and eventually affect one in two people.

Enough vaccine has been ordered to cover the entire population, with the first doses arriving next month and half of all doses expected to be given by the end of the year.

A spokesman from NHS London would not disclose yesterday whether Chloe had been treated with the antiviral flu drug Tamiflu.

St Catherine’s Roman Catholic Primary School, in West Drayton, where she was a pupil, has been closed early for summer despite national guidance that affected schools should remain open.

Chris Spencer, director of education and children’s services at Hillingdon council, said: “It’s an exceptional set of circumstances. This is a little girl who until a few days ago in all our minds was a child that was perfectly healthy.”

He refused to comment on reports that Chloe had been sent home by her family doctor with suspected tonsillitis. Chloe, who would have been seven on Friday, was the youngest child of devout Catholic parents Michael, 40, and Jacinta, 37.

Sara Benn, headmistress of St Catherine’s, said: “It is impossible to put into words the sorrow that the whole school feels.

“Chloe was a bright and tenacious student with a keen interest in sports. She will be missed by her fellow pupils and her teachers. Our thoughts are with her parents and family.”

Meanwhile, Dr Day, a married father of five who lived in Stanbridge, is understood to have been suffering a cold, but was taken into Luton and Dunstable Hospital on Saturday and died the same day.

A local GP since 1974, he had retired but worked as a locum and privately. All patients who had been in recent contact with him are being clinically assessed.

Dr Day was a work colleague and also a personal friend to everyone at the practice.”

One neighbour said: “There had been no signs of him being ill.”

Dr Laurence Buckman, chairman of the BMA’s general practitioners committee, offered his condolences to Dr Day’s family and said it was necessary to stay calm.

“It is very important that members of the public do not panic, and continue to follow health advice about swine flu and managing it if they are infected. The vast majority will recover quickly by taking paracetamol or ibuprofen and drinking plenty of fluids.”

Prof Ian Jones, of Reading University, said: “All respiratory infections are potentially serious. However, we have to be careful not to conclude that the death of an individual with swine flu is a death because of swine flu.”

A Department of Health spokesman said anyone thinking they may have the disease should carry tissues, use a clean one to cover their mouth and nose, throw it away after one use and wash hands often with soap and hot water.

Sufferers should stay at home and contact their GP by phone unless they get worse.